What program is best to use for offset printing (spot color converted to cmyk)

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What program is best to use for offset printing (spot color converted to cmyk)

Hi,

I created a brochure for a client using Photoshop. It was supposed to be a one color brochure with a PMS color of purple. So I selected the proper color in the customs color pallet in photoshop. I created the entire document in that one PMS color and saved it as a .PDF as instructed by the printer. However, the printer called and said the document was in CMYK format, and the one color on my end was printing out as 4 colors on their end. I even tried to change the main color to 100% black. However, they keep telling me the same thing. Is this problem on the printers end or my end? Before I sent the .pdf files, I checked in the channels pallet and there was no indication that the document was showing anything other than 100% black. I even sent them a grayscaled file and they still said it was showing CMYK.

I am really frustrated about this problem and would like to have a solution soon before the client gets totally disgusted with me.

As you have described the problem, the issue lies at the printers end. If the channels palette in Acrobat shows 100%K then the file is correct. I would have thought that even if the file was CMYK, any half decedent pre-press operator would be able to fix it for single colour printing.

I can't tell you where the problem is without looking at the file but there is 2 things you should check:

1: When you save the file as pdf and the window pops up that asks you to select your pdf settings, go to the color tab on the left. there is an option there to convert the document to a certain profile, depending on which pdf profile you are using photoshop will sometimes fill that field in with us web coated v2 which converts even grayscale psd's as cmyk pdf's

2: another thing you can try is to open the pdf before sending it and see how it is separated from acrobat. There are 2 ways to do this, one is to open the print production toolbar in acrobat and select the button that shows the separation preview

second way to see the separations is to click print and in the print dialog box click on the "advanced" button at the bottom and select the output tab on the left and change from composite to separations than uncheck "black", if after unchecking black you still see something in the preview on the left that means that is it still not a one color file.

I created a brochure for a client using Photoshop. It was supposed to be a one color brochure with a PMS color of purple. So I selected the proper color in the customs color pallet in photoshop. I created the entire document in that one PMS color and saved it as a .PDF as instructed by the printer. However, the printer called and said the document was in CMYK format, and the one color on my end was printing out as 4 colors on their end. I even tried to change the main color to 100% black. However, they keep telling me the same thing. Is this problem on the printers end or my end? Before I sent the .pdf files, I checked in the channels pallet and there was no indication that the document was showing anything other than 100% black. I even sent them a grayscaled file and they still said it was showing CMYK.

I am really frustrated about this problem and would like to have a solution soon before the client gets totally disgusted with me.

Any help on this matter is deeply appreciated.

Thank you,

LG

Not sure if my answer reaches you in time, but anyway...

Did you open the PDF in Acrobat and checked the document colors (separations) using the output preview panel?

hahahahahahhaaaaa, defnately a printer problem.....even if it does appear as 4 colour on your printer side surely they can change it to print the way you set it up......change your printer dude before they cost you money and loose you clients!!!!!

Brochure, in PhotoShop? Well, while it can be done it's not the best route to a successful print job.

Let me explain, in brief (and, admittedly, Adobe centered)...

PhotoShop...for images and pixel manipulation
Illustrator...for vector based images or styling text
Indesign.....to layout the above psd/ai files along with required text and finally create a PDF to Press Quality or PDFx1-a with all necessary bleeds.

OK having said that, of course it is possible to create artwork in any of the above, but you're then running the risk of unintentionally rasterizing any text (unless you leave the text as a vector layer), plus editing text is not as easy in Illy or PShop compared to Indesign.

Getting back to your spot colour job. You say you've selected the spot colour in PShop. No need for that, just run a single colour and tell the printer you want Pantone Purple or whatever and he'll put that ink into the duct on press.

I checked in the channels pallet and there was no indication that the document was showing anything other than 100% black

You don't say whether you're checking the separations in PShop or Acrobat.

Since you've created a PDF my guess is that a colour profile has turned the single colour into a CMYK breakdown. Check your PDF separations in Acrobat Pr - if you only see one colour 100% K then yes the printer is at fault if not ...well it'll be the PDF file you made.

You could always send the the printer the psd files but my guess is that they'll be enormous (another reason not to create a brochure in PShop).

Everyone has his own preferences. for me its CorelDraw. A one stop program for the integration of Photoshop, Illustrator files (With some conversion), unlimited text and vector permutations and a colour setup that supports anything from CMYK to pantone , spot, Lab and anything in between. Application of spot colours to a basically greyscale document is a breeze. Different spot colours will separate out onto different plates.

Everyone has his own preferences. for me its CorelDraw. ..... Different spot colours will separate out onto different plates.

Yes and for my accountant it's Excel - no kidding he does everything in Excel, letters, artwork, etc. The point is that whilst you can use most any software to produce a print project it may not be the most efficient path to a good end result.

I've lost count of the PowerPoint files we get to print, but hey, it's a print job and that's why my company exists. Anyway I kinda enjoy the odd file in say Xara or Serif, keeps me on my toes!

Different spot colour on different plates you say? Hmmm, you don't say...must be the Pro version!